Intervertebral implants of this type are inserted when, after removal of the intervertebral disk between two vertebrae (especially in the lumbar section of the vertebral column), the vertebrae are to be fused. One or two such implants are used in each intervertebral space.
In EP-B 346.269, FUHRMANN ET AL already describe an intervertebral implant whose outside front, end and lateral surfaces are coated with a layer of hydroxyl apatite or a ceramic HIP material. The drawback of this earlier implant lies in the fact that the basic body of the implant consists of typical nonceramic and hence nonresorbable materials.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,303, LYNCH describes an intervertebral implant which consists entirely of a porous ceramic material. The drawback of that earlier implant concept lies, on the one hand, in its low pressure resistance attributable to the relatively high porosity and, on the other hand, in the fact that the implant cannot be filled with bone chips with which to obtain accelerated bone integration.
Another intervertebral implant has been described in EP 505 634 by OKA et al, consisting of a porous ceramic base element with hydrogel deposited in the pores. This earlier implant as well offers insufficient pressure resistance owing to the hydrogel-filled pores.
In EP-A-493 698, HARLE describes a bone substitute for filling fault areas, consisting of two different, porous, ceramic materials having pores which are evacuated.
Finally, DE-A 44 23 826 by ASAHI describes an artificial ceramic vertebra, the porosity of which is maintained by means of a foaming agent.